Journeys of a Bent Mind

I have a thing about misunderstandings – It’s a real thing for me. When confronted with my own, while it’s not an easy thing to admit to, I do try to re-educate myself so I don’t continue to make false forays into the way the world works. It isn’t an easy thing to do, but I try to self-correct. Continue reading →

August 1, 2017: One week ago I signed a contract with Ulysses Press out of Berkeley, CA, to publish a second volume of Dad Jokes. The initial volume, The “Ultimate Book of Dad Jokes,” including some 1,001+ puns, was published in the spring of 2016 with a promotional effort leading up to Father’s Day. I am told the “Ultimate Book” is doing well and my initial contract has been extended for the time being.

A funny thing happened on the way to the printing of “Ultimate Book” – In hindsight it’s funny but at the time it was a little unsettling what with the huge unknown involved for this novice author of what actually goes on with the publishing business.

Fearing that some of the puns might be considered inappropriate for any of a variety of reasons I started generating new puns that could serve as “replacement puns” in such an eventuality. Ultimately only a few were dropped, not for cause, but because they were thought too similar to another pun as to be repetitious. No longer needed I nevertheless continued to generate new puns – It was an obsession, you understand.

During a recent conversation with my editor about the status of my original contract I mentioned that I now had some 1,470 new puns that I continued to create since the original volume was published. She expressed interest and suggested that if I was open to it she could put forth a proposal to her editorial team for a second volume of Dad Jokes to incorporate this recent batch of puns and without any hesitation I agreed. The editorial team as I understand enthusiastically approved of a second volume and we mutually signed a contract sealing the deal.

As of this date this second book of Dad Jokes is projected for publication in spring 2018, again with a comfortable lead-time before Father’s Day. Since the signing of the second contract I managed to complete an additional 30 puns to round out the total of 1,500+ puns, with a safety batch of 20 in the event of puns not quite up to snuff for our project. Our intended target number for the second volume is for 1,501+ Dad Jokes.

The new book has not been assigned a title yet and while I did make one suggestion we’ll see how discussions proceed with the editorial team at Ulysses Press once we get into the editing of the materials. Please look for progress reports toward the spring 2018 publication of a second anthology of Dad Jokes.

This author is pleased and chuckling…

“Play was our job, our work as children. Our office was that inner world of make-believe, of curiosity, wonder, and enchantment. In years to follow we find there memories and treasures priceless in value – a piece of colored twine, grandfather’s old pocket watch, three marbles, the nubbin of a favorite Crayola, an Indian Head penny, a skate key. Would that we had not retired so long ago…”

            ~ With thanks to Harper Lee and Steve Frankfurt… Continue reading →

Sometimes there comes an individual into the periphery of our lives, and if we are very lucky, that someone touches us directly and powerfully overwhelms us by their quiet presence. They may not be flashy and draw attention for their dynamism, but if they do catch our eye it is not because of the flash that we are touched in some way. It is a quality that is deeper than surface, something within, that comes through to capture our imaginations and dreams – this is what we call heart… Continue reading →